Catherine Earnshaw
Catherine Earnshaw, or Cathy, is a main character from Emily Brontē's Wuthering Heights. She grew up alongside the foundling Heathcliff her father had adopted and she falls deeply in love with him. But when she begins to find love with Edgar Linton, she begins to find herself caught into a overwhelming love triangle and she ends up ruining the lives of both men who love her. Description Catherine is often seen as a very unusual and unique heroine. She is beautiful and free-spirited, but is wilful and spiteful, especially when it comes to love and lifestyle. She typically has different types of forms: one is her wild-self, where she loves to run around the Yorkshire moors with her beloved soulmate Heathcliff and just acting like a tomboy. And there is her lady-self. After her encounter with the Linton's and being treated by them, she begins to act more girly and noble, wearing lovely, fancy dresses and talking in a different tone. She is also able to switch her forms depending on who she enjoys being with the most. Storyline Early life/Relationship with Heathcliff and the Linton's Catherine Earnshaw was born around 1765, the second child and only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earnshaw. She was raised at the family's home Wuthering Heights in Yorkshire, alongside her older brother Hindley and their nursemaid's daughter Nelly. When Catherine was about 6 years old, her father leaves for a business trip to Liverpool. Before he leaves, he asks his children what they would like him to bring back. Catherine requested a whip since she was already becoming good at riding horses, and Hindley wanted a fiddle. After Mr. Earnshaw leaves, Catherine becomes anxious and eager for her father's return. A few days afterwards, Mr. Earnshaw finally comes home. The whip that Catherine wanted was lost on the way back home. After her father walks through the door and finally rests from his exhausting trip, Catherine could spot a young boy just around her age; filthy, weak and poor that Mr. Earnshaw founded on the streets of Liverpool. He was soon named Heathcliff and adopted into the family by her father. Catherine originally resented the newest family addition, but she warms up to him and the two of them become very close. Her mother dies less than two years later. A couple of years go by. Mr. Earnshaw's health begins to fail, Hindley is away at college, and Catherine and Heathcliff's relationship is now even more affectionate than before. One of Catherine's favourite things to do with Heathcliff is exploring the Yorkshire moors but always has a tendency of ending up in trouble. As such, she was often scolded by her father for her rebellious behaviour, but she still loves him anyway. One night, Catherine and Heathcliff were gathered around their father as he sat in his chair. When she wakes up, she finds her father had passed away and both she and Heathcliff began to shed tears. They felt better afterwards when they felt that Heaven was now becoming a better place. Hindley returns home for the funeral and becomes the new owner of the Heights. Catherine and Heathcliff continue to spend their time playing out in the moors, since he always sought comfort with her after being abused by the new master. One night, the two of them decided to sneak over to their neighbouring house Thrushcross Grange and spy on the Linton family. Both Heathcliff and Catherine mockingly gawk at the two Linton children Edgar and Isabella, until the two spies were quickly spotted. The two tried to escape, but Catherine is bitten on the heel by the Linton's guard dog. She begs Heathcliff to flee without her, but he tries to save her instead.The Linton's find Catherine injured, so they brought her inside so she can recover. Catherine would spend the next 5 weeks at the Grange being nursed back to health by the Linton's. During those weeks, she was being pampered and taught by Mrs. Linton to be a proper, noble woman and she begins to get along with Edgar and Isabella. Around Christmas, Catherine returns wearing a pretty dress. She greets Heathcliff by kissing him, but criticizes his dirty appearance. The Linton's come over for Christmas, but Catherine feels disapproved of the way her brother is treating Heathcliff. After he is locked away in his room from trying to fight Edgar, Catherine sneaks up to the attic to see him. By 1778, Catherine began spending most of her time with the Linton's and behaves like a proper woman whenever she is with them, but acts like her normal self whenever she is with Heathcliff. But when she tells him that Edgar and Isabella are invited to visit, he confronts her on being more closer with them, while she retorts that he is dumb and dull. Catherine is alone in a room with Edgar and Nelly just after Heathcliff leaves in disgust. She tells Nelly to leave the room and when she refuses, she angrily pinches her, shakes baby Hareton and hits Edgar. Later, when her brother returns home drunk, both she and Edgar were alone together when she apologizes for what had happened. The two make up with each other and soon made their love confessions. Marriage/Life at Thrushcross Grange The following evening, Catherine meets Nelly in the kitchen and informs her that she had just been betrothed to Edgar. She wasn't sure why she had accepted his engagement, but mainly because he is rich and would like to live a lavish lifestyle like him. She also comments that she had a dream where she was in Heaven and wasn't happy there so the angels had returned her to Earth and back to the Heights. She also says that she cannot marry Heathcliff for fear that she would degrade herself, but she states that she still loves Heathcliff so much that they are essentially the same person with kindred spirits. Unbeknownst to her, Heathcliff had been listening to her entire conversation and ran away from the Heights. Upon finding out, Catherine runs outside during a rainstorm and desperately tries to find him. She develops a fever but is nursed back to health by the Linton's, but in addition, they die from the illness as well. 3 years later, Catherine and Edgar got married and moved to the Grange. By now, Nelly had also lived at the Grange with the newlyweds. For the next 6 months after their wedding, everything seemed to be fine. One evening, Heathcliff arrives at the Grange, but he appears as a well-dressed, proper man. Catherine is frantic and excited to see him after such a long time, but her husband isn't approved of seeing Heathcliff. The three of them have a conversation and Catherine learns that Heathcliff is staying over at the Heights as part of his plan of revenge. Later that evening, Catherine talks to Nelly, saying that Edgar is jealous of Heathcliff and doesn't like to hear her talk about the new Heathcliff. Catherine and her sister-in-law Isabella began visiting the Heights often. Catherine feels worried when Isabella begins to fall in love with Heathcliff and she warns her that he is a bad influence on her. She ends up humiliating her by exposing her crush to Heathcliff the next time he comes over to the Grange. When she sees that her former soulmate embraced Isabella lovingly, she confronts him about his affections for her, and would convince Edgar to let their marriage happen if Heathcliff really does love Isabella. But she was told by him that she had wronged him because of her marriage to Edgar and because of this, he will extract revenge. After Edgar is brought in to stop the confrontation, Catherine locks them both in the kitchen and throws the key into the fireplace so she could let them stand off against each other alone. Heathcliff quickly leaves and she is forced to choose by her husband on what man she loves the most. She responds by locking herself up in her room and doesn't come out too eat for 3 days. Final illness, pregnancy and death Catherine finally unlocks the door and lets Nelly come in and offer her some food. She thinks that she is dying and worries why Edgar didn't come for her. She became very delirious and as she stares at her reflection in the mirror, she becomes obsessed with death and rants about her childhood memories with Heathcliff on the moors and wants her window opened. When Nelly doesn't do it, Catherine opens it wide herself. She says she can see the Heights from her room and even if she dies soon, she cannot rest until she is with Heathcliff. Her health begins to worsen and a doctor is called to have a look at her. She would never fully recover from her illness. For the next two months, she is treated by Nelly and Edgar, and also learns that she is pregnant with her first child. She continues to feel worse when a letter from Heathcliff was delivered to her a few days later. She is so weak she could barely hold the letter in her hand. Heathcliff arrives as soon as she receives it, and she tells him that both he and Edgar had broken her heart. She cannot bear the thought of her dying while her first love is still living and she begs for forgiveness. He does so, but hells her that he cannot forgive the pain and heartbreak she allegedly caused herself, and he cannot forgive her murderer. As Heathcliff prepares to leave, Catherine begs him to stay with her, and he does until Edgar arrives. She falls from her bed but Heathcliff catches her and places her in her husband's arms before he quickly retreats. The following evening, at around midnight, Catherine goes into premature labour and gives birth to daughter Catherine Linton. The mother Catherine then falls unconscious and dies two hours later. Catherine's body was put on display for Edgar and Heathcliff to pay their final respects to the woman both men loved. Catherine also had a locket with a lock of her and Edgar's hair in it, until Heathcliff replaces Edgar's with his own hair. Both locks were then twined together by Nelly. Catherine's funeral was held shortly afterwards, Hindley was invited to attend but didn't show up and Isabella wasn't invited. Instead of being interred in the Linton family crypt, Catherine is instead buried in a kirkyard overlooking her beloved moors. Ghost Haunting Category:Female characters Category:Love interests Category:Romantic characters